Music SA is excited to announce new staffing and board appointments, bringing the organisation into a new and exciting era.

Deb Edwards has accepted a position as a board director, while Letisha Ackland joins the staff as Industry Development Co-ordinator with a First Nations focus.

Coming to the Music SA Board of Directors with 35 years’ experience in the industry, Deb Edwards has worked nationally across music and arts publicity, concert tour promotion and event coordination.

Deb’s PR background includes responsibility for the Adelaide Superloop 500 concert series since 2012 and her current clients include country music artists Troy Cassar-Daley and Adam Harvey.

A proud Yankunytjatjara woman, Deb acts for First Nations artists such as dance troupe Djuki Mala and is also PR consultant to Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute in Adelaide.

“I am honoured to be appointed to the Music SA board and to bring my many years of experience and passion for the Australian music industry to the table,” Deb says. “I am also excited to contribute as a voice for First Nations industry professionals and thank the Music SA board for this opportunity.”

Letisha is a proud Gugada (Kokatha) Wirangu and Mirning Far West Coast Aboriginal woman from Ceduna with ten years’ experience in working on major festivals, production and event management.

Letisha’s expertise in supporting Indigenous artists makes her the perfect fit for the role of Industry Development Coordinator – First Nations, in particular, her work as Founder of Balya Productions, a connector service within South Australia for First Nations with a focus on employment and mentor opportunities in the performing arts and events industry.

“I am thrilled to join the Music SA team in supporting First Nations artists to connect community and culture in our local music industry,” Letisha says. “I am looking forward to working with the incredible Indigenous talent we have across South Australia through programs, placements and opportunities, and elevating our First Nations artists’ voices and music.”

Music SA General Manager, Kim Roberts says: “I am so pleased with these recent appointments. They are all highly skilled practitioners with plenty to offer our local music scene, already contributing to our stellar reputation as a UNESCO City of Music. Things are tough at the moment for our industry, but we are looking toward the future and finding ways to support SA artists and the wider local industry.”

Anne Wiberg, Chair of the Music SA Board says: “It is wonderful to have Deb Edwards join us on the board with her wealth of experience and knowledge. And Letisha will be an incredible asset to the team due to her hard work and initiative within our music and arts industries. Deb is the first First Nations woman we have had on the board, and with Letisha’s work with local First Nations artists, both women will be a huge asset to Music SA. I am looking forward to seeing what both bring to the organisation and our music community.”

Also newly appointed to the Music SA Board are Chartered Accountant Tim Haslam as Treasurer, and lawyer Angus Crawford as Secretary.

Tim works with highly regarded South Australian business services firm Perks. His main focus is providing strategic advice and solutions on accounting, tax and financial management issues to private businesses and individuals.

Combined with a diverse range of skills drawn from a career in finance spanning Adelaide, London and Sydney, Tim is also a musician with extensive knowledge and experience in the Australian music industry from several years with the Secret Sounds Group (incorporating Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival).

Angus is a muso at heart who works for global law firm Dentons practising mainly in the areas of banking and finance, and commercial law.

Angus lives and breathes the SA music scene, and his experience as an artist and a professional affords a holistic understanding of music business, having seen first-hand the impact that support from non-for-profit arts organisations can have on the careers of emerging and established musicians alike.

With these announcements following close after the recent appointment of Kim Roberts to the role of General Manager, Music SA is engaged in important renewal at a time when supporting South Australian music has never been more vital.